Above: Hull Records clippings from (Left) October 1955 and (Right) March 1956.

Hull Records, located in New York City, was owned and operated by Blanche "Bea" Kaslin. A&R men were Billy Dawn Smith and Bill Miller. The label existed from 1955 to 1965. Mascot was the subsidiary label. Kaslin had previously worked as secretary for Herald Records and was involved in Faye Adams' big hit "Shake A Hand." Smith also had worked at Herald, as an A&R man, and was lead singer on The Heralds' "Eternal Love." Miller had been Vice President at the short-lived Tri-Boro Records (famous to collectors for "Stop Crying" by The Four Fellows). Teacho (Wiltshire) was Hull's musical director and "house" orchestra leader.

Some vocal groups to record for Hull were The Heartbeats, Avons, Miller Sisters, Beltones, Sparks, Legends, Desires, Elegants, Shep And Limelites, and Monotones.

Hull produced some big hits for other labels. In 1956, they sold several of The Heartbeats' sides to Rama, including "A Thousand Miles Away," which had been released on Hull. In 1957, they sold The Pastels' "Been So Long," which had been released on Mascot, to Chess/Argo. In 1958, they sold The Elegants' "Little Star" to ABC-Paramount.

From Trade Magazine, November 1955: Bea Kaslin, formerly of Herald, and now with her own Hull label, floating on air as orders continue to come in for her "Crazy For You" with the Heartbeats....

From Trade Magazine, April 1956: Billy Dawn and Bill Miller in Chicago working on new Hull Records releases by the Heartbeats and Mabel Lee....

From Trade Magazine, May 1956: THIRD B'NAI-BRITH DANCE: ....About 700 teeners, admitted free of charge, saw a show whose stars included the Heartbeats, Billy Dawn, Mabel Lee, B.B. Queen (all of Hull Records), assisted on piano by William Miller, a&r chief of the label; the Miller Sisters (Ember)....

From Trade Magazine, June 1956: William Miller, father and manager of the five Miller Sisters, and currently a&r head of Hull Records, has purchased the recording contract of the girls from Herald Records....

From Trade Magazine, June 1956: ....Hull is about to release the Avons' "Our Love Will Never End" and "I'm Sending S.O.S." The Avons are a teenage group from Englewood, N.J., who walked into the office, asked for an audition, and were signed on the spot....

From Trade Magazine, July 1956: The Miller Sisters, formerly with Herald, cut their first platter for the Hull label last Friday. Titled "Do You Wanna Know," the tune will be issued in the very near furure and is skedded to be performed in a forthcoming rock and roll film in which the Larks are starred....
(NOTE: The film is "Rockin' The Blues" and is the only film The Miller Sisters appeared in. Teacho and his Orchestra are also in this movie.)

Above: Hull Records clippings from (Left) July 1956 and (Right) July 1957.

Above: Hull Records clippings from (Left) October 1961 and (Right) November 1963.

[The above right black label image provided by Andrew Bohan.]

Above: Label images of Hull H-712 released in February 1956. This was Mabel Lee's only release on the label. Per Lou Silvani's book "Collecting Rare Records," the "pink" label is the original issue. The black label has the correct "Teacho's Orch." Both sides were composed by Hull Records' A&R men, Bill Miller and Billy Dawn Smith.

Listen to this week's selections by Mabel Lee (And Vocal Group) on Hull H-712 from 1956:[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]